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12/24/12

15 Minutes of Fame: The Best of 2012

1. The Gone With the Wind we-knew-who-would-win award for best
restaurant of the year goes to: Máximo Bistro Local. The popularity of this now much lauded
Roma eatery has gone viral, but the quality remains uncompromised. The chef has
integrity and just refuses to abandon ship for Hollywood stardom. Bravo!

2. The Maria Felix award for prettiest and best Mexican is undoubtedly deserved by Limosneros. The newest high-end centro resto, in a gussied up colonial
palace is the best option for a romantic dinner downtown. And the bar features
everything national. ¡Andale!

3. The Katherine Hepburn she-keeps-on-winning-over-and-over award is gladly handed to Rosetta. Once again the Roman Italian beauty must be congratulated for the
constant high standards of its kitchen. Hats off to chef Elena Reygadas.

4. The Sophia Loren girl-from-the-barrio award goes to Fonda Kelly. It’s a little hip gem of a place in the middle of Tepito, paean to
artist Phil Kelly that serves surprisingly good midday chow. And it’s for those
on a budget (note: sadly, Fonda Kelly closed as of the end of 2012)

5. The Julie & Julia award for best Mexican cook book of
the year is well deserved by Hugo Ortega’s Street Food of Mexico. Several books
came out this year about street or snack food, but none as uncompromising as this
lovingly written homage to the author’s homeland (and home city of D.F.). If
you want to open your own puesto, this is the book with which to start.

Honorable mentions:

Best place to get smashed: Chonicler of DF's underbelly David Lida reports that "I would be hard pressed to choose one place, given the number and the variety and of course what mood I would be in. But I would rely on an old favorite Cantina Tio Pepe at the corner of Independencia and Dolores in the centro

Best Ice Cream: Helados Palmeiro. Eugenio Palmeiro's ice
cream stand in the Mercado Medellín is, according to the owner,
an Habanero, made according to his memories of that iconic Havana institution,
Heladeria Coppelia. He also offers malteadas made with real malt just as they
should be.

Best mole – by far, that of the little 50-year-old downtown
hole in the wall, Fonda Mi Lupita. Their rich, lightly sweet chocolaty concoction
is divine.

Best bakery – Panadería Da Silva, who has a couple of new locations,
including the easily accessible mezzanine store in the Downtown Hotel brings
great Portuguese breads and pastries to our previously deficient city. His
pasteis de nata are unparalleled, better than those famous ones in old Lisboa.

Best bread: Pastelería Bó, with a couple of Condesa
loacations does the best baguette in town. The French Lady says so. And their
tarts are good too.

Best arrachera - El Hornero in the Roma, is according to the
carnivorous Sr. de la Torre, the place to which all such animals must return.

Best tacos al pastor – El Huequito is still it. But only the
original, on Ayunatmiento.

Best Asian – Benkay in the Nikko hotel no longer offers that
tempting buffet but they serve up fine Nipponese fare in their pretty new space
and it’s like a trip to Tokyo. The seasonal bento, at $325 is a good deal too. Runner
up: Mojing, in the centro does Chinese for Chinese very, very well.

Best old time market – The Mercado Jamaicais classic,
there’s good food to eat, decent quality fruits and vegetables, the aisles are
wide making for easy access and they have around the clock flower market.
What’s not to like?

Best new time market – The recently disappeared French Market inside the late (and not lamented, by this author, anyway, Le Bouchon)
is sure to resurface. J'espère que nous reverrons bientôt…

Just like Mexican food, Mexican cuisine encompasses various subjects. Among these are Mexican desserts, Mexican restaurants, Mexican drinks, and for specific ingredients and preparations, Mexican food recipes. This section will outline the details involved with Mexican cuisine, a bit about its history and how it has spread across the globe, the various cooking utensils used in its preparation, typical ingredients, and tips for Mexican cooking hopefuls so that they can learn to perfect their craft.